Theory — If Apple Practiced Architecture
The Architecture business model is an ancient model built on inquiry, whimsy, creativity and criteria. I’ve practiced architecture in six different offices, including my own, and there are certain axioms that pervade every corporate philosophy. I’ve often wondered if this old, tired profession could benefit from a fresh, hybrid business model from an unrelated industry.. read more →
Interview — Nervous Energy
Sweaty palms, elevated heart rate, abbreviated respiration, dizziness. If you have these symptoms it’s time to see a doctor! Wait, these are also symptoms of nervousness, excitement and even preparing for a project interview. read more →
Repeat Clients — Do It Again!
I remember this commercial when I first saw it. I thought it was about parent-child time together, but it was really about savoring a moment that is so good you want to do it again. That sentiment isn’t reserved for lifesavers and sunsets. It’s also relevant to architecture service because nine of my clients (and counting) enjoyed their first WishingRock project so thoroughly that they returned for a second. read more →
When a Mismatch is a Match — Happy Accident
If I ever reincarnated as dirty laundry, I’d want to be socks because socks definitely have the most fun on laundry day. Socks mix-it-up unlike any other laundry article. Socks disappear, wear out and when a sock’s original mate disappears or dies the sock pairs with another sock. This unlikely pair may not match exactly but together they create an interesting and functional mismatch. Yes, I’d definitely be a sock so my mismatch would still be a match. read more →
Project Could be a Dream — Sh Boom
Remember a time when music, people and life was light-hearted and pleasant. Ah, Life Could be a Dream, Sweetheart, but how about architectural projects? The dream project is the project that compensates the provider, in my case the architect, after design and construction completion and continues to pay dividends. Why would you need a project that pays and continues to pay? Because, architecture is a labor-task profession. A design firm exerts an amount of time/labor to finish tasks and receives compensation for design or consulting task completion. It’s a laborious trade similar to other Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) trades. Effort exerted = money received, but what if the initial architectural effort paid in perpetuity? read more →
Construction Biz 101 – Billing Unmasked
The design is complete and it’s time to solicit bids. The client receives a bid summary that lists major line items and sums to a total amount. A second bid similarly lists major line items but not necessarily the same items or total. It’s the same project but the competing bid numbers are different. What the …?! Are there hidden project costs the Owner pays? The short answer is “No, there are no hidden costs, but a bid calculation combines several tangible costs with different labels such as Hard Cost, Overhead Cost and Profit. read more →
Archi-scar – That Will Leave a Mark!
There’s a scar on my right external abdominal oblique where a set of 6-pack abs should be. It’s a lazy L-shaped mark with less pigment than the surrounding skin and a distant reminder of an injury sustained when a 5-year old me slid fireman-style down a swing set pole. A rusty bolt slowed my descent. Skin vs. metal? Yes, metal wins. The scar is neither ugly nor noticeable unless you search for it. When I notice it, I remember the incident and most importantly what I learned from the incident – look before you leap! read more →
Career – The News Knows
What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a daunting question for most people. A purely acceptable answer is “I don’t know, but maybe I’ll try a few trades to discover what I like”. That’s exactly the way I approached the future career question and the first trade I tried was newspaper carrier. read more →
